Decisions
Lessons from Two Million Air Miles
What decades of global sales taught me about building businesses that cross borders.
Leon Hardwick
27 December 2025 · 1 min read
FIG. 01
34# Lessons from Two Million Air Miles
Two million miles. That's roughly 80 trips around the Earth. Each one taught me something about how business actually works across cultures.
The Universal Truth
Deals close on trust. Every culture has different signals for trust, but the underlying currency is the same.
In Tokyo, it's the long dinners before any business is discussed. In New York, it's cutting straight to value. In Dubai, it's the relationships that span years before a contract is signed.
What Changes, What Doesn't
Changes:
Communication styles
Decision-making timelines
Negotiation patterns
Doesn't change:
The need for genuine value
Respect for expertise
Long-term relationship building
The best salespeople I've met aren't chameleons. They're authentic, but culturally aware.